The Living Gate was an ancient gateway hidden in the depths of the Astral Sea. It was destroyed during the Dawn War in order to quell an invasion of the Far Realm into the Astral Sea. It's destruction gave rise to the crystal race of the shardminds and slivers of it are used by the githyanki to create their famous silver swords. Some strive to restore the Living Gate to counteract further Far Realm incursions.
History[]
The Living Gate existed long before the Dawn War broke out, perhaps since the moment of creation. It was guarded by a powerful being, described as neither god nor primordial but kin to both, so that none could open it or see into the Far Realm beyond Creation. In the time before the Dawn War, Pelor discovered the Living Gate, and was joined in his discovery by Ioun and Tharizdun (in the time before he found the Shard of Evil that drove him insane). Ioun awoke the gate and Tharizdun distracted the guardian so that the three gods could catch a glimpse through the Living Gate. They left changed by the knowledge they had gained, linked by a terrible secret, and swore to never seek the gate again or share what they had seen.
During the Dawn War, one of the three gods broke the vow, returned to the gate, and killed the guardian. It is not certain which, but in all likelihood it was Tharizdun (who by this time would have been driven insane by the Shard he found). The Living Gate awoke, and alien creatures and defiling energy from the Far Realm erupted into reality and spread across the Astral Sea and the world. Many astral realms where consumed, forcing the gods to turn their attention away from the Dawn War and defend their homes. Ioun and Pelor finally shattered the Living Gate, which sealed the passage to the Far Realm, an act which cost Pelor his original verdant astral dominion.
During the Far Realm incursion through the Living Gate, it is claimed by some that mortals first discovered and used psionic power. The construct race of the shardminds arose from some of the fragments of the destroyed Living Gate, and the Gates destruction resulted in the rise of the mind flayer empire. The githyanki use a different type of fragment from the Living Gate to make their silver swords, which react to Far Realm incursions. Iouns power holds the remains of the Living Gate inactive, but since its destruction the Far Realm has had an easier time to find its way into reality in other ways. Some people, the shardminds included, strive to rebuild the Living Gate to forever cut off the Far Realm from reality.